Syria's leader Ahmad Al Shara said on Tuesday that the country must unite around a state that has a “monopoly” on weapons. The former capital of the ISIS caliphate in Syria is facing an uncertain future, much like the rest of the country. After over a year of political and economic challenges, Egypt has had some recent diplomatic wins that could set it on th ... Show More
Apr 17
Israel-Lebanon 10-day ceasefire begins and Gulf pushes for a Hormuz resolution
In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon comes into effect after intensified fighting, with both sides signalling caution as the truce begins. At the United Nations, Gulf states prepare to reintroduce a resolution aimed at protecti ... Show More
2m 53s
Dec 2024
The Middle East After Assad
After rebels took Syria’s capital, President Bashar Al-Assad fled Damascus for Russia, ending his brutal 24-year reign. His ouster marks the beginning of a new, uncertain phase for a country that’s been ravaged by 13 years of civil war. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s ... Show More
15m 28s
Dec 2024
Buck Brief - Is Syria Becoming a Total Terrorist Hellhole?
With the fall of the House of Assad, Syria is now under new management—but who’s really in charge? Buck Sexton breaks down the transition with Bill Roggio, Senior Editor at Long War Journal. From jihadist factions to the region's strategic importance, they explore the implication ... Show More
25m 48s
Jan 2025
Why Syria's new Islamist leaders deserve Western support
<p>Nikolaos van Dam, the Netherland's former Syria envoy and an acclaimed Arabist who has authored several books on the country, says Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's new ruler and the leader of the al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, ought to be supported by Western governments.</p> ... Show More
27m 51s
Dec 2024
The final hours of the Assad regime
President Bashar al-Assad has fled Syria, ending 50 years of authoritarian rule by his family. Over the weekend, rebels who had already taken Aleppo and Hama began to close in on the city of Homs and set their eyes on the capital Damascus.As it became clear that Assad had fled, t ... Show More
28m 18s
Mar 2025
What is behind the clashes in Syria?
<p>With hundreds dead after days of fighting between armed supporters of former leader Bashar al-Assad and government forces, the worst violence since al-Assad's fall, Syrians are grappling with how to move forward. Days ahead of the 14th anniversary of Syria's uprising, the coun ... Show More
24m 2s